Improvement in washing-machines



2Sheets--Sheet I S. HAWKINS. Washing-Machines.

Patented June 17, 1873.

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Washing-Machines. NO. 140,037. Patented J'une17, 1873.

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UNITED STATES PATEN SAMUEL HAWKINS, OF GHILLIOOTHE, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No; 140,037, dated J une17, 1873 application filed April 7, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL HAWKINS, of Ohillicothe, in the county ofLivingston and State of Missouri, have invented a certain Improvement inWashing-Machines, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to that class of washing-machines composedessentially of a sudsbox, an adjustable fluted or corrugated concave,and a cylinder revolving over the concave. My improvement consists in anovel construction of the concave, and in certain means for adjustingthe same and the cylinder, as will be more fully explained in theensuing description, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved washing-machine. Fig. 2 is aplan view, showing the lid of the suds-box thrown back to expose theinterior arrangement, also illustrating the cylinder partly in action.Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section.

The same letters of reference are used in all the figures in thedesignation of identical parts.

The suds-box A has a concave bottom, A preferably made of galvanizedsheet-iron, suitably secured to the sides and ends of the box, andstrengthened by a transverse bar, a, along The lid A is hinged to thetop board a, and may be made of two pieces hinged together in the mannershown. The top board a at the opposite end of the box is suitably formedto permit of the convenient attachment of a wringer. Therubbing-cylinder B is composed of a series of fluted bars firmly securedto circular heads I), by means of which it is fastened upon a shaft, Bwhich -protrudes with its ends through elongated vertical slots 1) inthe sides of the suds-box. The shaft-B has its bearings in bars 0, thebearings being arranged nearer to one end of the bars than to the other,so that by a reversal of the bars Gthe rubbing-cylinder can be adjustedvertically. The bars 0 are supported between recessed blocks 0' G, andcover the slots I) in the sides of the suds-box, to prevent the escapeof suds at those points; when arranged in the desired position, buttons0 are turned over their ends to hold them securely in place, as clearlyshown in Fig. 1. At one end the shaft projects through its bearing,

and carries a crank, B by which the cylinder is turned. To preventclothes to be cleansed from being wound around the shaft or cylinder bygetting caught between its ends and the sides of the suds-box, loosedisks or washers D D are placed upon the shaft 13 between the ends ofthe cylinder and the sides of the box, as best seen in Fig. 2. Theconcave E is flexible, being composed of a series of fluted orcorrugated wooden bars, 0, secured to elastic straps 6 which may consisteither of thin bands of steel, or of straps of leather. The concave ishung at one end to the box by straps 6 and at its other end it isconnected by flexible straps c to a roller, E by turning which andwinding up or unwinding the straps e the concave may be raised orlowered, to adapt the space between it and the cylinder to theparticular kind of articles to be Washed. The roller turns in openbearings in the sides of the box, covered by the lid, and may beprovided with a crank or other device for turning it a ratchetwheel, Ebeing secured to it at one end, acting in conjunction with a pawl, E tohold the roller stationary after proper adjustment of the concave. Byunhitching the straps e of the concave from the box, the concave may bereadily removed from the box by lifting the roller E out of its openbearings, and drawing the concave after it.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The combination of the suds-box, rub.

bing-cylinder, loose disks or washers D l), flexible concave E, andWindlass E E E all arranged and operating substantially as specifled.

2. The rubbing-cylinder B B, suds-box A having elongated vertical slotsb, and reversible supporting-bars (J, the bearings in which are nearerto one end than to the other, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

3. The suds-box and rubbing-cylinder, in combination with the loosedisks or washers D D, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL HAWKINS.

Witnesses:

H. M. POLLARD, J AMES LEPER.

